Improvement in processes of graining wood



or film on the surface.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

enonen F. MEHLING, or nnrnorr, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROCE SSES OF GRAINING WOOD.

Specification forming part of Letters Parent No. 164,858, dated J une 22, 1875,- application filed March 18, 1875.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. MEHLING, of Detroit, Wayne county, State of Michigan, have invented an Improved Process of Enameling Wood to imitate French -walnut veneeriug, &c., of which the followingis a specification:

The object of this invention is to produce a firm and durable enamel for various kinds of wood, such as walnut, ash, maple, butternut, white-wood, 850., and apply the same so as to imitate French walnut and other veneerings; and the process herein described is intended for all oil-finished work, when it is desired to represent a rich veneerin g or imitation of wood.

In the process of enaineling to imitate French walnut, first give the wood one coat of boiled linseed-oil, mixed with a little transparent liquid drier; smooth it down with fine sand-paper, thus filling the pores of the wood, and giving it a smooth surface. When dry, give it a coat of enamel, consistingiof the following compound: Pure white lead;

about as much of orange-crome yellow as can be taken on the point of a pallet-knife; a lit tle Venetian red. Mix well together with boiled oil and turpentine and as much polishing-varnish as there is used of color, and thin the mixture with turpentine, if nee? essary. Apply one coat with a fine fitch hairbrush. The application just stated is not intended to conceal the pores or grain of the wood, but to form a transparent coating" Next in order is the application of the graining -colors, prepared as follows: Four several colors, viz., raw sienna, burnt sienna, Van Dyke brown, and'drop black, are ground separately in boiled oil-about the same quantity, say, one cup of each. Place a quantity of each separately on a plate of glass, add three or four drops of transparent liquid drier to each color, and'use' for each a sable hair-brush. First apply the raw sienna, covering the entire surface with it. Upon this apply the burnt sienna in spots, or to form rings on the surface; then cover the surface with Van Dyke brown, after which the dropblack is put on to form difierent figures.

These applications on the surface are then blended in the following manner: A cotton rag, having been saturated with liquid drier and dried, is crumpled and wrinkled with the hands; hold it between the thumb and fingers, and give it a twisting pressure on the surface until all colors have been well blended. This process gives at once a perfect imitation of French walnut.

Knots and eyes are imitated by using a piece of basswood bar-k, rounded and made smaller at one end than at the other, it being placed with a twisting pressure against the darkest parts of the surface. After leaving the surface about thirty minutes to-dry the pores or grain of the wood are formed thereon by using a felt roller, over which a coarse hair cloth has been fastened. This roller is saturated with a mixture'of Van Dyke brown, smoothed down on a board or piece of oilcloth and rolled over the surface.

The over-graining is done by using a badger-hair fiowingbrush, preferably a two-inch brush, dipped in turpentine and drop-black, the color being equalized by rubbing on a plate of glass; the brush is then drawn over the surface in such a manner as to give it the figures desired by the operator, and the lines are blended to an edge.

To give a still better finish and effect a few prominent lines may be drawn with a sharpedged tool, and when dry a light shading is grained bytaking Van Dyke brown and drop black, ground in pure water, applying it with a fine brush, and wiping off with a' sponge.

By this process, and the use of the ingredicnts as stated, afirm, durable enamel is produced on the surface or ordinary hard wood; and also perfect imitations of French walnut and other fancy wood, the enamel being formed upon a well-prepared ground-work, without the useof glue and veneering, my

process being intended to produce all the effect of the latter, and being considered more substantial.

ing wood, consisting essentially of coating the i wood with boiled oil and a transparent drier,

sand-papering the same, (which closes the pores with fine dust,) drying the wood, and Witness my signature hereto in the pres then coating it with a transparent enamel, ence of two witnesses.

applying the different coloring graining materials, and then applying a crumpled cloth GEORGE F. MEHLING. saturated with a liquid drier, as described,

over the surface, and then passing a hair- Witnesses:

cloth roller over the same, and polishing said A. VVITZLEBEN, surface, all substantially as herein set forth. EMIL LANDSBURG. 

